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Injecting drug use

Globally, around 16 million people inject drugs and 3 million of them are living with HIV. On average, one out of every ten new HIV infections is caused by injecting drug use and in parts of Eastern Europe and Central Asia over 80 per cent of all HIV infections is related to drug use.

WHO strongly supports harm reduction as an evidence-based approach to HIV prevention, treatment and care for people who inject drugs and has defined a comprehensive package, which includes needle and syringe programmes and opioid substitution therapy.